Review: Florence, The Other Palace 

Have you ever considered adopting an entirely new personality? Pretending to be someone else to fit in? To get your dream job? What lengths are you willing to go to get what you want? Meet Florence, the woman who will do just that.  

Florence is a one-woman tragicomedy that follows our protagonist as she navigates the art world post-graduation. Growing up in Ireland and later moving to London, she realises that she doesn’t quite fit in with the art scene. She’s neither from a privileged background nor has industry contacts and is continuously rejected from jobs. Writers Honor Santa Barnes and Eleanor Blackwood underscore a problem that has long existed in creative industries, which are notoriously hard to conquer for anyone but the upper classes. Resolving not to give up, Florence instead creates the alter-ego ‘Florence’; a posh, Southern woman who is financially cut off by her father. Befriending the rich and entitled Isabella, she finally finds her way into that dream gallery job. But she can’t keep the facade of Florence going forever. Cracks start to show and when Florence consumes her, lines blur between reality and fiction.  

In an outstanding performance, Santa Barnes jumps between a multitude of personas and accents, from Irish to Southern English to Welsh and Australian. She is an actress whose diverse range displays a mastery of theatrical ability. This is even more commendable in the context of a one-woman show – a difficult feat that she pulls off effortlessly. For the entire fifty-five minute run time, she is beguiling and engrossing in her portrayal of Florence. She commands the stage, utilising it to her advantage through continuous movement and meandering as she recounts her tale of tragedy. 

Satire and tragedy merge well for this work, with tongue-in-cheek, self-deprecating lines mixed within a tragic tale of ambition and trickery (Shakespeare eat your heart out). Simplicity does this production wonders: it feels intimate as Florence confesses and looks at her audience, relevantly breaking the fourth wall to immerse spectators within her story and make us empathetic towards her choices.  

Florence is a brilliant portrayal of how ambition can override and consume. It is spot on in its representation of the clichés, barriers and snobbery that persist in the art world. As someone who works in a gallery, I can’t help but reflect on my own changes in behaviour to fit in (though the Northern accent can never truly be hidden) and, coming from a similar background to Florence, recognising the issues that continue to persist. This is a timely piece that is well-thought out and superbly executed.  

Directed by: Eleanor Blackwood
Written and produced by: Honor Santa Barnes and Eleanor Blackwood
Lighting design by: Ed Saunders
Sound design by: Sarah Spencer
Set design by: Ellie Wintour

Florence has completed its current run.